Machine for decorating coated candies



May 25, 1943. e. s. PERKINS MACHINE FOR DECORATING COATED CAND IES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1941 ATTORNEYS y 2-5, 1943- G. s. PERKINS 2,320,297-

MACHINE FOR DECORATING COATED CANDIES ma /aw ATTORNE YS May 25, 1943.

G. s. PERKINS MACHINE FOR DECORATING COATED CANDIES Filed Nov. 6, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 b 4 y a aw 7 7 m M 1 w 1 a ,K I a w fi l w .2 a 2 4 a o 6 :3 mv WW 5% mmmm . FIG. 6.

M J p INVENTOR. BY

Wrw/ ATTORNEYS May 25, 1943. -e. s. PERKINS MACHINE FOR DECORATING COATED CANDIES Filed Nov. 6, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 llll. um. CHE Kh lil ATTORNEYS y 1943- G. s. PERKINS 2,320,297 MACHINE FOR DECORATING COATED CANDIES I Filed Nov. 6, 1941' s Sheets-Sheet s j [I r H (I a I LI 1 a 4 2 F'|G.IO. 992%? 34 1N VENTOR.

W J Wu B ma rm ATTORNEXS Patented May 25, 1943 MACHINE FOR DECORATING COATED OANDIES George S. Perkins, Kew Gardens, N. Y., assignor to National Equipment ('10., New York, N. Y., a copartnership composed of Joseph Greenberg, Herman Greenberg,. Samuel Greenberg, and

Sidney Grcenberg Application November 6, 1941, Serial No. 418,089

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved machine for decorating coated candies.

One of the objects of my invention is to pro vide a machine which can be applied as an attachment to an enrober or the like, said improved machine having a flexible decorating member which is supported at the end-portions thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism whereby said decorating member can be lowered so that its bottom surface contacts with the coated candies which are supported upon a travelling feed belt, so that the bottom surface of the decorating member will contact with the coatings of a plurality of lateral rows of said coated candies, while said feed belt is moving said coated candies in a predetermined longitudinal direction.

Another object of the invention is to move the decorating member longitudinally and in the same direction as the longitudinal movement of the feed belt, and at substantially the same speed as the feed belt, so that there is little or no relative longitudinal movement between the decorating member and the feed belt, during the period in which the decorating member contacts with the coatings of the candies which are being moved longitudinally by the feed belt.

Another object of the invention is to raise the decorating member, relative to the feed belt, after the decorating member has thus been applied to the top surfaces of the coatings of the candies, in order to draw a string or strings of the coating of each candy upwardly.

The decorating member may be made of any suitable flexible material, perforated or unperforated, or it may be of link formation, as long as the decorating member can hang freely in a bight or curve between the ends of said decorating member.

Another object of the invention is to continue the forward movement of the decorating member in the direction of movement of the feed belt, and at substantially the same forward speed as said feed belt, at the beginning of the upward drawing of the string or strings from the coating of each candy.

Another object of the invention is to move the decorating member longitudinally and in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the feed belt, after the string or strings have been drawn upwardly to the desired height, so that the string or strings will lose their adhesion to the decorating member and said string or strings will fall back upon the surfaces of the respective candies, in order to decorate the same.

Another object of the invention is to time the movement of the decorating member relative to the movement of the feed belt, so that upon each downward movement of the decorator, it is applied to fresh candies and each candy contacts preferably only once with the decorating member.

Another object of the invention is to provide suitable adjusting mechanism, whereby the vertical distance between the top surface of the decorating belt and the bottom surface of the decorator, when the decorator is in its bottom position, can be adjusted, in order to allow for candies of different heights and for coatings of different thickness.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of simple and efllcient design, which can be manufactured at low cost and which will be simple and reliable in operation.

Other objects of the invention will be stated in the annexed description and drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved machine, with the cover in position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a candy having one type of decoration.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine with the cover removed.

Figs. 4-7, inclusive, are respectively sectional views on the lines 44, 5-5, 6-6 and of Fig. 3. In Fig. 5, part of the representation of the wall l8 has been omitted.

In Fig. 5, the decorating member is shown in a position which is midway between its top position and its bottom position, and in Fig. 6 the decorating member is shown in its bottom position.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectionaf view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the decorator and the means for supporting the lateral end-portions of the decorator.

Fig. 11 is an end view of Fig. 10.

It has heretofore been proposed to use a flexible decorating member, perforated or unperforated, and to connect the ends of said flexible decorating member to suitable rigid supports which are moved up and down. It has also been previously proposed to make such decorating member of flexible material and to provide an imperforate or perforate decorating member.

In the former and in the present use of a perforate decorating member, such decorating member has not been used in order to stamp the plastic coating of a candy. On th contrary, the function of a perforated decorating member as previously used, and i the resent improved machine, is mainly to draw out one or more strings of the plastic coating of each candy, and then to release the string or strings, so that such string or strings drop back into contact with the coating of the respective candy.

Fig. 1 shows th top run of the conventional endless feed belt 2, upon which the coated candies l are supported. The coatings of the candies I are then in the plastic condition. Said coatings are suitably heated in order to maintain the same in such plastic condition, so that the strings can be easily drawn out of such-coatings.

The direction of longitudinal movement of the top run of belt 2 is indicated by the corresponding arrow in Fig. 1. The belt 2 1s ordinarily made o'f wir -meslrand'it is of theiendless type which delivers the candles from the enrober or other suitable 'machina' toithe improved device. The improved device :is supported upon lateral angle irons A, which are fastenedto anysuitable base or support.

Fig. '3 shows'the rigid and stationary front and rear walls 66a and 6% which are fixed to therespective angleirons A; Fig. 1 shows the wall 66a. Fig. lshows one ofthe removable'side wa1ls60, which are removably fixed 't'oith'e'walls 66a and 96b. The side wall'iiila'which is oppositeto the sidewall 56%, is a lso removably fixed by suitable 'fastening members'to th fixed vertical walls 66a 'andiitb.

,Fig. 3 shows the vertically adjustable sidewalls "ifl and i9, "which are parallel to each other and :which areialsop'ar'allel to'the removable-side walls fi'iland Eta. 'As:'shown, for example, in Figs. 4 and 6, the topportions of the vertically adjustable walls l8 and I9 are rigidly connected to each other by respective fixed longitudinal bars or braces lilaand 19b, and the bottom portions of said adjustablewwall's [B and 19 are rigidly connected to each other by respective fixed longi- "tudinal barsnorbraces*l Baand I81).

The vertically adjustable Walls 13 and I9 are thus moved in unison, either upwardly or downwardly.

Referring to Figs. 3 and. 4 and .5, nuts 63a and 'ifia are fixed to the wall I8. As shown in Fig.6, nuts 88 and Bilaare fixed to the wall'l9. As'shown in Fig. 3, the nut "6311 has an integral extension 636, which is suitably and rigidly fixed to the correspondingpart'of the wall [8. A collar'fi3c is rigidly fixed to 'the'stud-extension 63a The other nuts El a, andiifl and 8011 are correspond ingly rigidly fixed to the respectiv walls 13 and i9.

Upper laterally spaced bearing collars iiaand 78a, which are shown in Figs. 4 and 6, are fixed to the upper part of the fixed rear wall 66b, by means of welding or the like. Lower and laterally spaced bearing c'ollars'E ib and "bare rigidly fixed to the lower part of the stationary rear wall 66b. Upper and laterally spaced bearing collars Ma and 16a are fixed to theupper'part ofthe'stationary front wall "661%, and lower and laterally spaced bearing collars 14b and 162) are fixed to the bottompa'rtof th stationary front wall 660..

Each'lateral fixed wallfifib and 65a istherefore provided with two bearing collars at'itstop portion and with two bearing collars at its bottom portion. These bearing collars are arranged in right-hand screws.

superposed pairs. For example, the bearing collar 64a is directly above the bearing collar 64b, and said bearing collars 64a and 641) have bores which have a common longitudinal axis. A screw is located in the bores of each pair of superposed bearing collars. The screw 53 is turnably mounted in the bearing collars 64a and 66b. The screw 73 is turnably mounted in the bearing collars Ma and Nb. These screws (53 and 13 are A screw 19 is turnably mounted in the bearing collars 18a and 181). A

V screw M is turnably mounted in the bearing collars 16a and 16b. The screws I9 and T4 are left-hand screws.

Each said screw has reduced extensions which fit turnably in the bores of the respective bearings collars and each extension extends above the respective upper bearing collar and below the respective lower bearing collar. The lower reduced extension of each screw is provided with an end-thrust collar. For example, and as shown in Fig. 6, the screw i9 has an end-thrust collar 19c fixed to its bottom reduced extension, so as totprevent the upward movementof the screw'lfl, relative'to'its bearing collars 13a and 78b. The upper reduced extension of each screw has a worm gear fixed thereto. The worm gears 64 and 12a are respectively fixed to the upper reduced extensions of the screws 63 and '13, and

each-said worm gear has a hub which is fixed to the respective 'reduced'extension, and each said hub abuts the top wall of the respective upper bearing collar. The worm gears '18 and ware respectively similarly fixed to the upper-reduced extensions of the screws 19 and M.

Asshown in Fig. '1, these worm gears 64, 7B, 2a and 16 are located'a'bove the removable cover 0, which can be suitably fixed tothe stationary walls 66a and 66b. The machine isalso provided with supplemental cover members Ca.

As shown in Fig. 1, the worm gears-Wand Ill mesh'respectively with worms 55 and 71, which are fixed'to a common lateral shaft 65. The wormgears TZaand 16 mesh respectively with worms H and. #5, which are fixed to a common lateral shaft 1-2. The shaft 56 is mounted turnably in bearing bracketsflla, which are fixed to the stationary rear wall-65b in any suitable manner, as by welding or the like. The bearing brackets 8i-of the shaft T2 are fixed-in any suitable manner to the stationary wall 65a. The shaft 66 is manually turnable by means-of a handle 61. The shafts 66 and 12 have respective associated-sprockets 68 and 19, which are connected by a chain 69.

Therefore, by turning the handle El, the four screws 63, 13, T9 and T4 are simultaneously and equally turned, so as to raise or lower the vertically adjustable side walls I8 and I 9 equally and in unison, by means of the respective nuts oi said vertical screws.

Each lateral end-portion of the decorating member D is folded, so as to form a closed loop. For example, Fig. 9 shows one end of the flexible decorating member D, and its closed loop Ulla. The end of said loo-p M'la is fixed by means of a rivet or other fastening member 59, to the respective end of the decorating member D. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a lateral rod 41 passes through this loop, in order to support the corresponding end-portion of the decorating member D. Referring to Fig. 6, the lateral rod or bar 47a corresponds to the lateral'rod'fl, so that the rod 41a supports the other lateral end of-the decorating member D. The longitudinal axe's'of the rods 41 and 47a, are parallel to each other, and'said axes are longitudinally spaced, that is, in the direction of the longitudinal movement of the feed belt 2.

Referring to Fig. 8, one end of the rear lateral rod 41 is turnably mounted in a bearing 48. This has a reduced stud-extension 49, which has a tight fit in a bore of theturnable shaft 21. A cotter pin 47b is provided in order to prevent the rod 41 from moving in the direction of its longitudinal axis, out of the bearing 43. As shown in Fig. 8, the turnable shaft 21 is provided with a reduced end 21a, on which a sleeve 39 is rigidly secured in any suitable manner. Fig. 8 also shows the collar 39c which is removably fixed to the reduced end 21a by means of a suitable set screw. One end of the sleeve 39 abuts a shoulder of the shaft 21. The sleeve 39 has an integral and rigid extension 4D, in whose bore one end of a lateral rod 44 is turnably mounted. A cotter pin 45 is provided for the usual purpose. I Fig. 9 shows that a part of the decorating member D is in contact with a part of the lateral rod 44. The construction is identical at each lateral end-portion of the decorating member D, and at each end of the lateral shaft 21.

As shown in Fig. 8, a bushing 4| is located in a recess of the reduced end 21a of the shaft 21. A part of the conical end of a bearing pin 38 is located in said bushing ll. The shank of said bearing pin 38 is threaded and said bearing pin 38 is adjustably mounted in a tapped bore of a crank arm 31. This crank arm 3'! is fixed to a shaft 36. When the shaft 2'! is described as being turnable, this means that it can turn relative to its respective bearing pins 33 and 32. Fig. 3 shows the bearing pin 32 for the end of the shaft 21 which is opposed to the end which is shown in Fig. 8. The bearing pin 32 is adjustably connected to a crank arm 3|, which is fixed to the shaft 33. The shafts 3B and 36 have a common longitudinal axis and the radial distance of the longitudinal axis of the bearing pin 32, from the longitudinal axis of its shaft 30, is equal to the corresponding radial distance of the bearing pin 38, relative to the shaft 36.

The longitudinal axis of the bearing pin 32 is thus moved through a circle 38L which is indicated in Fig. 5. The shaft 2! is thus, moved up and down relative to the top run of the feed belt 2. Said shaft 2'! is also moved longitudinally in the same direction as the top run of the feed belt 2, and it is also moved longitudinally in a direction reverse to the direction of movement of the top run of the feed belt 2. As indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, the shaft 21 is moved longitudinally in'the same direction as the top run of the feed belt 2, while the decorator D is being lowered, and also while the decorator D contacts with the coatings of thecandies I. The decorator D is also moved longitudinally in. the same direction as the top run of the belt 2, for the very short interval of time in which the decorator begins to draw out a string or strings from the coating of each candy 5, with which the decorator D contacts.

Fig. 1 shows that the candies I are located laterally, substantially from one longitudinal edge of the belt 2 to the other longitudinal edge thereof. The decorator D is made of suificient width so that it contacts with the candies, laterally from one longitudinal edge of the belt 2 to the other edge thereof. Likewise and as shown in Fig. 6, when the decorator D is in its contacting position, it contacts with the coatings of a large number of laterally disposed rows of candles I.

As shown in Fig. 6, one of the lateral end portions of the decorator D is in partial contact with a rod 44a, which is mounted turnably in the extension of a collar 52a. Referring to Fig. 3, the collar 52a. isfixed to one reduced end of a shaft 26, the construction being identical with that shown in Fig. 8. The extension 55 is integral with the collar 52a. The shaft 26 is supported by, and it is turnable relative to, the bearing pins 24 and 25. The eccentric bearing pin 24 projects from a face of the spur gear 22, which meshes with a spur gear 20. The shaft of the spur gear 22 has a bearing in the vertically adjustable side wall I8. The shaft I! of the spur gear 20 likewise has a bearing in the vertically adjustable wall I 8. Likewise, the shaft 30 has a bearing in said wall I8. The shaft 30 and the shafts of the spur gears 20 and 22 are therefore moved upwardly and downwardly in unison when the wall I8 is vertically adjusted. The shaft of the spur gear 22 is provided with a sprocket 28, which is connected by a suitable chain 29a to a sprocket 29, which is fixed to the shaft 30. The shaft H of the spur gear 20 is provided with a sprocket I6, which is connected by a chain I5 to a sprocket I4, which is fixed to the driven shaft I2. The driven shaft I2 is driven by means of speed-reducing gears of the conventional type, which are located in the usual gear box I I. The speed reducing gears provide a speed-reducing ratio of 50 to I. Said reducing gears are driven by the drive shaft 9, to which a pulley 8 is fixed. Said pulley 8 is connected by a belt I to a pulley 6, which is fixed to the shaft 5 of an electric motor 4. The pulley 6 is of the conventional speed-regulating type, so that the speed at which the gears in box H are driven, depends on the tension of belt I. This is known as the Hi-Lo drive, and it is similar to the Reeves variablespeed pulley. The gear box II is supported by a plate I0, which is fixed to the vertically adjustable wall I8. The motor 4 is mounted upon the same plate I0 so that the position of the motor 4 is vertically adjusted in unison with the vertical adjustment of the wall I8.

In order to tighten the belt 1 and thus to regulate the effective diameter of the pulley 8, and thus to regulate the speed of the gears in box I I, the motor 5 can be longitudinally adjusted in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the feed belt 2. The motor 4 rests upon a plate Illa, which is slidable upon the supporting plate II). The slidable plate Illa has a downwardly bent lug 40 which has a bore through which the shank of the adjusting screw 4a passes. Said adjusting screw 4a is provided with the usual hand wheel 41). The shank of the adjusting screw 4a passes through the tapped bore of the downwardly bent lug 4d of the supporting plate ID. The adjusting screw 4a is prevented from moving longitudinally relative to the lug do, by conventional means. Therefore, when the hand wheel 41) is turned, the plate la is adjusted relative to the plate I0. After this adjustment has been made, the plate Illa is clamped in its adjusted position, by means of clamping screws IIlc which extend through suitable slots in the plate IUa.

The speed change gears in the casing II may be of the well known type which permit accurate regulation of the driven shaft I2, thus permitting accurate regulation of the speed of rotation of the spur gears and 22. The shaft I! of the spur gear 29 is provided with the companion spur gear M, which is also fixed to said shaft l1. The shaft I! has its bearings respectively in the vertically adjustable walls l8 and I9. The spur gear 2! meshes with a spur gear 23', whose shaft has its bearing in the vertically adjustable wall i9. As shown in Fig. 3, the shaft 36 of the crank arm 2'! also has its bearing in the vertically adjustable wall l9.

When the shaft i! is thus rotated by means of its sprocket IS, the spur gears 22 and 23 are rotated in unison with said shaft H. The shaft 26 is thus moved in unison with the shaft 21 by means of the bearing pins 24 and 25 in said shaft 26.

The respective longitudinal axes of the shafts 26 and 2'! therefore always remain parallel to each other and always at the same height. As previously noted, the shaft 39 is rotated in unison with the shaft 11, by means of the sprocket 29 of said shaft 39. The shaft is rotated in unison with the shaft 39, by means of the sprocket 35 which is fixed to the shaft 35, the chain 34 and the sprocket 33 which is fixed to the shaft of the spur gear 23.

Means are provided for regulating the longi tudinal distance between the rods 44 and 44a, in order to regulate the curvature of the decorating member D. This also regulates the distance between the bottom of the decorating member D and the top of the said belt 2 when the decorating member D is in the bottom position shown in Fig. 6. It is thus possible also to regulate the number of lateral rows of candies which will contact with the decorator D, when said decorator is in the bottom position shown in Fig. 6.

A link El has a forked end which is pivotally conected to the extension 49 of the sleeve 39, by means of a pivot pin 51a. A corresponding link 58 is pivotally connected'to the extension 55 of the sleeve or collar 52a, which is mounted upon the corresponding reduced extension of the shaft 25. These links 5? and 58 have their adjacent ends provided with tapped recesses, whose threads are in opposite directions. The oppositely threaded shanks of the turnbuckle 59 respectively engage the tapped recesses of the links 51 and 58. The

inclination of the members and 55 to each F other can thus be regulated. The link 54 corresponds to the link 51, the link 55d corresponds to the link 58, and the turnbuckle 56 corresponds to the turnbuckle 59. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the link 54 is pivotally connected to the integral extension of the collar 45a, and the link d is pivotally connected to the integral extension 52 of the collar 53a. Said collar 53a is mounted upon the corresponding reduced extension of the shaft 26. Fig. 3 shows the stud-extension 49a, which corresponds to the stud-extension 49, both said stud-extensions 49 and 49a being fixed to the shaft 21. Fig. 3 also shows the stud-extensions 49c and 4%, which are fixed to the shaft-25, and which correspond to the elements 49 and 49a.

The operation of the improved machine is as follows:

The height of the adjustable inner side walls l8 and I9, relative to the top surface of the top run of the wire belt 2, is regulated by turning the shaft 66 by means of the handle 61. The shaft 12 is turned equally and in lll'llSOIl with the shaft 66, by means of the sprockets 58 and 12, and the chain 99. The worms 95 and 1'! of the shaft 66 turn the worm gears 64 and 78 of the screws 63' and 19. The worms H and 75 of the shaft 12 turn the worm gears 72a and it of the screws '13 and 14.

The screws 63, 13, i4 and '59 are turned, thus vertically adjusting their respective nuts 63a, 73a, 32a and 89, thus vertically adjusting the movable, walls 18 and i9, which are rigidly secured to each other and to said nuts. The alined lateral shafts 39 and 35 are thus vertically adjusted, together with their crank arms BI and 31. The lateral shaft I! of the spur gears 20 and 2! and the alined lateral shafts of the spur gears 22 and 23 are also simultaneously vertically adjusted so that the longitudinal axis of the shaft 25 is simultaneously vertically adjusted with the longitudinal axis of the shaft 21.

As previously noted and as shown in Fig. 6, the looped ends of the decorator are respectively supported by the rods 41 and 410.. One end of the rod 4'! is turnably supported in the bearing 48, whose stud extension 49 is fixed to the shaft 21, as shown in Fig. 8. The other end of the rod 41 is turnably connected in a similar bearing, whose stud extension 45a, which is shown in Fig. 3, is also fixed tothe shaft 21. The other end of the decorator D is supported upon the rod 41a, which corresponds to the rod 41. The rod 41 is turnably supported in a bearing 48a, and also in a companion bearing, whose respective stud-extensions 49b and 490 are fixed to the shaft 26, the construction being identical with that shown in Fig. 8. Therefore, the equal and simultaneous vertical adjustment of the shafts 26 and 21 correspondingly vertically adjusts the rods 41 and 47a, thus vertically adjusting the looped lateral ends of th decorator D, relative to the top surface of the top run of the feed belt 2.

The turnbuckles 59 and 59 are equally adjusted, in order to turn the sleeves or collars 45a and 39 upon the respective reduced extensions of the shaft 2'1, and also to turn the collars 53a and 52a upon the corresponding reduced extensions of the shaft 26. The angle between the members 46 and 55 can thus be regulated, so that said members 40 and 55 are either parallel to each other, or inclined towards each other or away from each other. The angle between the members 45 and 52 is maintained equal to the angle between the members 49 and 55, so that the decorating member hangs in smooth and uniformly curved formation from its lateral supporting rods 41 and 41a.

The effective diameter of the pulley 6 is then regulated so as to regulate the number of revolutions per minute of the driven pulley 8; thus regulating the speed of the driven shaft 12. Since the bearing pins 24 and 25 are respectively equally offset relative to the respective centers of the spur gears 22 and 23, and since said offset is equal to the respective offsets of the bearing pins 32 and '38 relative to the shafts 30 and 36, the shafts 26 and 2'! will always be at the same level relative to the belt 2, and said shafts 25 and 21 will also have a longitudinal component of motion, which is either in the same direction as the feeding movement of the top run of the belt 2, or opposed to said feeding movement.

The driven shaft 12 drives the spur gear 20 by means of the sprockets I4 and i6, and the spur gear 2!! drives the spur gear 22, which drives the shaft 30 by means of the sprockets 28 and 29 and the chain 29a. Since the spur gear 20 is fixed to the shaft IT, said shaft I! drives the spur gear 2 I, which drives the spur gear 23, which position shown in Fig. 6, said decorator D is moving in the same direction as the top run of the feed belt 2, and at substantially the same speed. The plastic coatings are therefore not smeared by the application of the decorator D, which longitudinally overlies a substantial portion of the top run of the feed belt 2, in addition to extending laterally across said feed belt 2.

After the decorator D has thus been moved downwardly to the operative position shown in Fig. 6, it is raised from said operative position, while the longitudinal speed of movement of said decorator D remains substantially equal to the longitudinal movement of the top run of the feed belt 2. The strings of coating material are thus initially drawn upwardly from the candies 1 without smearing the coating and without raising the candies from the belt 2 and without shifting the candies either longitudinally or laterally on the belt '2. As the decorator D is moved upwardly from the operative position shown in Fig. 6, the strings of coating material are drawn upwardly and the forward longitudinal speed of the decorator D becomes less than the forward longitudinal speed of the top run of the belt 2. The upwardly drawn strings of coating preferably lose their adhesion to the decorator D, substantially before the decorator D is moved upwardly to the median position which is shown in Fig. 5. The strings of coating material drop back upon their respective candies, to form the decoration la which is shown in Fig. 2. Said decoration may be of a great many different patterns, depending upon the perforations of the decorator D. The decorator D may be perforated in any suitable pattern, so as to draw out one or more strings of coating material from each candy, in any desired formation.

Without limiting the invention to the specific example given, the diameter of the circle 3!, which is shown in Fig. 4, may be about 2 inches, so that the total vertical movement and the total longitudinal movement of the decorator D is 2 inches. In such machine, the strings of coating material lose their adhesion to the decorator D, and such strings drop back upon the respective candies, when the decorator D has been raised about 1 inch from its bottom operative position which is shown in Fig. 6. In such specific embodiment, the top run of the feed belt 2 is moved through a distance of -13 inches, while the crank pins 32, 38, 24 and 25 move through the complete circle 38!.

The length of the contact zone between the candies and the decorator D, in a direction parallel to the movement of belt 2, is about 13 inches.

Fig. 6 shows 13 lateral rows of candies, whose coatings contact with the decorator D. The lefthand lateral row and the right-hand lateral row are designated as L and B. When the decorator is again moved to said operative position, the row R may be moved to the position of row L, or a little behind or even in front of the position of said lateral row L. The great majority of the candles thus contact only once with the decorator P. It is preferable to have each candy contact only once with the decorator, but in order to prevent missing, some of the lateral rows of candies may contact twice with the decorator, but not more than twice. The two contacts of some of the candies with the decorator is not objectionable.

As shown in Fig. 11, means are provided for retaining the members and 52 in their adjusted angular position, which is secured by means of the turnbuckle 5B. Identical means are provided for maintaining the members 40 and 55 in the adjusted angular relation which is secured by means of the turnbuckle 59. As shown in Fig. 11, such fixing of the angular relations between the aforesaid members, is secured by means of brackets or arms 90. Each bracket or arm is of angular shape, and it is provided with legs 9| and 92. Each leg 92 is pivotally connected to one of the rods 44 or Me. Each arm 9| is provided with a bore through which the threaded part of the respective turnbuckle passes. As shown in Fig. 10, the threaded parts of the turnbuckles 56 and 59 are respectively designated by the reference numerals 56a and 59a.

The angular arms 9| are fixed relative to the aforesaid threaded parts 56a and 59a,'by means of pairs of lock nuts 93.

The brackets or arms 90 also hold the members 45 and 52, and the companion members 48 and 55, from turning around the axes-of the shafts 26 and 21. Therefore the heightof'the bight of the decorator D remains fixed during the various movements of the decorator.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is clear that numerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from its spirit.

I claim:

1. Mechanism for decorating candies, comprising a movable feed belt which has a planar feed run which is adapted to support said candies,

said feed run being movable longitudinally in its own plane in a predetermined feeding direction, four equal crank-members located above said feed run, said crank-members being arranged in cooperating pairs, a support turnably connected to each said pair of crank-members, said supports being spaced longitudinally from each other and being transverse to said feeding direction and being parallel to each other, a flexible decorator whose respective ends are connected to said supports, said decorator depending freely from said supports, drive mechanism for turning said crank-members continuously in the same direction and for moving said feed run continuously in said feeding direction and in unison with the movement of said crank-members, so that said flexible decorator is moved up and down relative to said feed run and said flexible decorator is also moved longitudinally back-and-forth in a direction parallel to said feeding direction, said drive mechanism moving said decorator in said feeding direction and at substantially the same speed as said feed run, when said decorator is in substantially its lowest position.

2. Mechanism for decorating candies, compris ng a feed belt which has a planar feed run which is adapted to support the candies, said feed run being movable longitudinally in its own plane in a predetermined feeding direction, a flexible decorator located above said feed run, each end of said decorator being connected to a support which is movable up-and-down relative to said feed run, said supports being lateral to said feeding direction, support-actuating mechanism adapted to actuate said supports continuously and in the same direction in a predetermined path which has a vertical component and a second component which is parallel to said feeding direction so that said supports and decorator are moved bodily up and down relative to said feed run and said decorator is also moved back and forth in a direction parallel to said feeding direction, drive mechanism for actuating said belt continuously in the same direction and also actuating said support-actuating mechanism so that said decorator is moving in the same direction as said feed run and at substantially the same speed as said feed run when said decorator is in its lowest position.

3. Mechanism for decorating candies comprising a belt which has a planar feed run which is movable in its plane in a predetermined feeding direction, shaft-supports, four shafts turnably mounted insaid shaft-supports above said feed run, said shafts being arranged in pairs, the shafts of each pair having coincident axes, the coincident axes of said pairs of shafts being parallel to each other and being lateral relative to said feeding direction, each shaft having a shaft-member fixed thereto, each shaft-member having a bearing pin fixed thereto and offset relative to the respective axes, the offsets of said bearing pins from their respective shafts being equal; the bearing pins of each pair of shafts having coincident axes which are parallel to the axes of said shafts, each said pair of bearing pins turnably supporting a rod, said rods being parallel to each other, each end of each rod having a bearing fixed thereto, the bearings of each rod being an aligned pair, a decorator-support turnably mounted in each pair of aligned bearings, a depending arm fixed to each end of each rod, a bar located below each said-decorator-support and mounted in a pair of said respective depending arms which are fixed to the same rod, a flexible decorator connected to said decoratorsupports and depending from said decorator-supports and in contact with parts of said bars and depending below said bars, mechanism for driving said shafts in unison with the movement of said feed run in said feeding direction so that said bearing pins move synchronously and in unison through equal circular paths to move said decorator up and down relative to said feed run, and also to move said decorator back and forth relative to said feed run, said mechanism actuatin said decorator in the same direction as said feeding direction when said decorator is substantially in its bottom position.

4. Mechanism according to claim 3 in which the distance between said decorator-supports exceeds the diameter of said circular paths.

5. Mechanism according to claim 3, including means for regulating the angle between each pair of said depending arms, each said pair of depending arms being fixed to the corresponding respective ends of different rods.

6. Mechanism according to claim 3, comprising means for simultaneously and equally adjusting said shaft-supports vertically relative to said feed-run.

GEORGE S. PERKINS. 

